It’s one of those matches when you definitely don’t want to risk arriving late.
Somerset v Glamorgan at Taunton, and the mouthwatering prospect, if Somerset bat first, of Dale Steyn opening the bowling to Chris Gayle.
Fortunately for those of us who don’t have a ticket – the game is a third consecutive Blast sellout for Somerset – the Sky cameras are heading west for the 1730pm start. It will be the second time they have shown Gayle playing for Somerset, after his first appearance of the season versus Sussex was also televised.
The Jamaican has been smouldering so far this season, with a failure at Sussex before scores of 49 and 31 in home games against Essex and Surrey respectively.
So there has been nothing quite as spectacular as the 92 off 59 balls on his debut at Essex last summer, followed by 85 not out at home to Hampshire and a remarkable 151 not out against Kent – in a game which the Spitfires still won by three runs.
Biding his time? Or perhaps preparing a special greeting for Steyn?
Glamorgan will cross the Severn Bridge in confident mood, however. They are top of the South Group with three wins from their first four matches, and have already silenced a big crowd at the Kia Oval when they skittled Surrey for 93.
It’s a multi-national bowling attack for the Welsh county, with beanpole Aussie Michael Hogan partnering Steyn, followed by Dutch international Timm van der Gugten and Steyn’s fellow South African Craig Meschede – who will be extra keen to impress at Taunton against his old teammates.
Meschede’s return is another intriguing subplot, especially as Somerset’s Blast brains trust both made the short move from Glamorgan – Matthew Maynard swooping for Jim Allenby shortly after taking over as the director of cricket at Taunton.
Dean Cosker, a long-time team-mate of Maynard’s in Cardiff, has played a key role in their impressive start to the tournament, and young guns David Lloyd and Nye Donald have ensured an authentic Welsh flavour to Glamorgan’s success.
But Somerset are far more than a one-man team, fairly obviously as their batting line-up also includes the Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene. Yet it was a much lower-profile import, Johann Myburgh, who played the key innings in their last match to seal a big win against Surrey which lifted them away from the bottom of the South Group.
Somerset also have a score to settle with Glamorgan who did the double over them last season, with Colin Ingram playing a brilliant match-winning innings at Taunton after a Duckworth Lewis win in a rain-affected match in Cardiff.
All 18 of the players selected for England’s T20 and one-day squads earlier this week have been made available to their counties, setting up some intriguing individual battles. Steyn versus Gayle isn’t a bad opening bout, but Glamorgan will also face Sam Billings again on Friday night after he smashed a century in a losing cause against the Welsh county at Canterbury last Sunday.
Secure your seats to see Glamorgan face Kent Spitfires at The SSE SWALEC with adult tickets £15 in advance
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